Beer talk with Alex Fisher: Breweries, nitros, growlers and more

Thursday

Jan 19, 2017 at 7:58 AMJan 20, 2017 at 9:26 AM

Dan Kane CantonRep.com entertainment editor @DKaneREP

JACKSON TWP. To say that craft beer is booming at Fishers Foods is almost not enough.

The local grocery chain's Fulton Drive NW store stocks more than 1,000 craft beers, regularly offers beer tastings, bottle releases and other events, and has a 12-tap growler station that soon should be serving small-batch creations by the glass. Other Fishers stores are well-stocked with beers to varying degrees, but Fulton is the flagship.

Here, Alex Fisher, who is Fishers beer buyer as well as director of store operations and strategic marketing, pulls up a stool to talk about all things beer.

Q. Is craft beer's popularity continually on the rise?

A. "Yes, we're definitely feeling it. I think as craft beer becomes more readily available, people are more willing to try more things. Breweries are doing a fantastic job of bridging the gap. There's something for everybody now, even the Bud Light drinker or people who aren't normally beer drinkers. There's things like hoppy Pilseners and fruit-infused ales, blueberry and strawberry wheat beers."

Q. Is the craft-beer boom hurting the old-school breweries?

A. "Yes, their sales are declining. There's been a change in market and these larger breweries like Anheuser Busch and Budweiser are struggling now. They're developing new drinks like Best Damn Root Beer, trying to tap into other markets, and they're buying up craft breweries."

Q. You definitely feature the Ohio craft breweries.

A. "Ohio is very fortunate to have the level of breweries we do. At the store, we have beers from probably 20 or more Ohio breweries. Even with our 12 taps, it always seems like the majority are from Ohio. It's great quality, and there's new breweries opening up all the time, practically on a weekly basis."

Q. What can you tell me about the growler station?

A. "We have 32-ounce and 64-ounce growlers, with 12 beers on tap in a wide variety of styles that are constantly rotating. There's always a current list on Fisherfoods.com. For the most part, we always try to have kegs that don't make it to bottles or cans or are very hard to find. Hopefully by mid-March we'll have beer by the glass. Right now, we have 2-ounce samples of our drafts for 25 cents each. You can buy up to four per day."

Q. You also sell individual bottles and cans of crafts beers. That's how I found that amazing Oskar Blues Death By Coconut.

A. "Mix-a-Six gives customers the opportunity to purchase something different they are unsure of without getting stuck with a six-pack of something they don't like. We have a large assortment of single bottles and cans that start at $1.69."

Q. It can be hard to keep up with all the new beers and breweries. Do you have people in the beer department who can offer recommendations on things?

A. "Absolutely. I specifically hired Jared Bailey and James Umbaugh because not only can they stock faster than anyone else but they are also very knowledgeable about craft-beer styles and varieties and beer overall. If you want to branch out, they will lead you in the right direction."

Q. Do you have beers that sell out quickly?

A. "Zombie Dust by 3 Floyds is absolute madness when it comes in, any of the 3 Floyds beers sell extremely well. Usually every Friday at 5, I'll have a bottle release, anything from one case to 15 cases depending on what comes in that week. It gives people a chance to come in when they get off work, especially if they're really looking for something special." (This Friday from 5 p.m., there will be a Stout Tap Takeover at Fishers on Fulton, featuring three Deschutes The Abyss beers, Bells Hopslam and Epic Son of a Baptist.)

Q. I'm always surprised to see hip new beers sold in cans. For so long, cans were passe.

A. "The rise in cans is because of quality. Light, which can get through glass bottles, can actually affect beer over time. Cans also affect shipping cost; bottles are more expensive to ship. Most breweries put a liner in the can so you don't get an aluminum taste. But you should always drink beer out of a glass, whether it comes in a bottle or a can."

Q. Can you explain what nitro beers are?

A. "When you're brewing beer, natural CO2 can occur during fermentation; the rest is usually forced carbonation to give the beer fizz and it helps with flavors and aroma. Now some breweries are using nitro instead, which gives the beer a creamy and smooth mouth feel. Nitro beers are perceived as less bitter because CO2 is acidic. The original nitro beer is Guinness, but Left Hand and Breckenridge are doing nitro series."

Q. Didn't you launch a Facebook page for local beer fans?

A. "Yes. It's called Canton Craft Beer Community and we've got over 530 followers already. I saw guys doing it in other cities and I knew how good the Canton beer scene is now. It's meant as a place to share your favorite beers and for bars and bottle shops to let people what they have on a local basis."

Q. When did you start getting into craft beers?

A. "It all started when I was going to school in Tampa. I had a go-to bar called the New World Brewery. Every Wednesday they'd have a $5 smoked-barbecue place and something different on draft and I'd try things. The guys there opened me up to the craft world. This was is 2010."

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